We all have that one relative who we don’t get along with. Mine comes in the form of a cat-loving, giant-glasses-wearing hipster. She fits the grungy-chic stereotype: Someone who makes sure it looks like they haven’t showered in weeks as they carry a 17-inch MacBook around in a leather attaché case. As a psychology major at New York University, she’s the quintessential New York hipster.
There’s probably a laundry list of reasons why we don’t get along, but the main reason is that I just don’t mesh well with these extreme hipsters. So, naturally, my thought process crosses out New York on my list of places to visit. A city full of know-it-alls in their 20s? Good God, count me out.
Anyway, I’ve always been more of a West-coast person. I anticipate summer vacations in Del Mar. Seattle and Portland are my favorite cities. Two years ago, my family moved to Los Angeles.
Seattle and Portland are quirky and artsy, and Del Mar is a small beach town. Los Angeles is completely different - or so I thought.
What comes to mind when I think of the stereotypical view of LA is traffic, celebrities, plastic surgery, money, shallow people, graffiti and East LA. This isn’t so accurate.
Los Angeles is made up of tons of small neighborhoods, and while Beverly Hills is its own city, it’s the one that stands out the most to people. It makes sense – the absurdly large houses on palm tree-lined streets, the marble lobbies of office buildings and the clean glass storefronts of expensive designer fashion outlets will leave a sparkle in anyone’s eye. Sure, some of the plastic surgery disasters you see walking around Beverly Hills may also catch your eye, but trust me, they are far less numerous than you might think.
Surprisingly, most of the people in Beverly Hills are nice. Whether it comes in the form of a compliment at the grocery store or a simple smile while shopping, they’re all rather cordial. This also goes for most of LA, which was something I would have never expected.
However, the angry side of Los Angelenos comes out when they drive. Abrupt lane changes, aggressive driving and circling around neighborhoods for parking makes for angry drivers. And while some of the 5 p.m. traffic is unbearable, most of it is comparable to rush hour on Phoenix’s 202 and Interstate 10.
Driving is inevitable in LA. However, since everything is so compact, trips are quick. In 10 minutes you could be walking among the grandiose historic homes of Hancock Park or sitting in a grungy, artsy coffee shop in Silver Lake. You could also make the short drive from the serene area of Griffith Park to the energetic downtown of LA. And of course, there’s Santa Monica and Venice for those who prefer being closer to the beach.
There’s a niche for everyone in Los Angeles. It’s a city of diverse people that have learned to coexist together. While LA has beaten it’s stereotype, I’m sure New York has the potential to beat its hipster stereotype. But hopefully LA will keep me entertained long enough to where I won’t have to intermingle with the ostentatious NYC hipsters.
Reach the columnist at OBrunaci@asu.edu
